We drove down to Jodhpur from New Delhi earlier this month (Nov 2012). Being a recent observation, I jot (is it ‘key’?) down Delhi-Jodhpur road review for benefit of Ghumakkars. Needless to say, like any other trip, articles on Ghumakkar.com about Jodhpur were dutifully consulted before our departure and they provided insightful info about the journey and destination as well. Thanks to Mala, Anupam, Atul, Kallu, Smita Dhall et al for having inputted articles here about journey to/Jodhpur.
Road Review
The Delhi–Jodhpur route, spanning a distance of 600 kms can be divided into two parts, as follows –
(i) Delhi – Jaipur – Ajmer – Beawar (NH 8) (Approx 450 kms) [generally southbound or SW].
(ii) Beawar – Bar – Bilara – Jodhpur (NH 14, NH 112) (Approx 150 kms) [generally westbound or NW].
Part I (Delhi – Beawar)
We left Delhi at around 7 AM and managed to avoid jams till Gurgaon. The traffic, however, caught up with us by the time we were approaching the second toll gate at Gurgaon. Real ordeal started after Dharuheda. Contrary to popular and long held perception about smooth & silky Delhi-Jaipur highway of NH 8 stretch, please note that the stretch is undergoing a ‘widening into 6-lanes exercise’. This means you will come across frequent diversions, bottlenecks, bumpy roads (and those repetitive, extortive toll gates; there are so many of them! ) interspersed with some gingerly portions of ‘smooth & silky’ stretches of yore days. The obstructions easily add some 1 to 2 hrs to our previous Delhi-Jaipur drive time of about 4 hours. Another irritating aspect on this ‘under construction’ route is absence of sign boards. Those green things with ‘Jaipur so many kilometers or Ajmer so many kilometers’ looking down benignly upon the travellers are sorely missing for major portions. The only written stuff (of exasperating relevance) that you come across the highway reads ‘Diversion’.
While driving southwards beyond Jaipur, the city can be by-passed through an impressive, many-laned carriageway locally called Jaipur bypass. Drive on this impressive bypass is dream like. It starts from Chandwaji, some 25-30 kms before Jaipur. In keeping with signage (or lack of it) conditions hitherto, we could not locate any indication at starting point of this bypass and halted behind two cars which stood haplessly at the point of diversion, seeking directions. Travellers may need to keep a lookout for this bifurcation. The main NH8 goes straight into Jaipur while the bypass loops off to the left, then turns right to cross the NH8 overhead. Somewhere at the middle of this bypass, they have a petrol station (rather two of them, on either side of the wide road, almost facing each other). Both these stations are quite impressive, though the one on south-north (towards Delhi) stretch is more operational thanks to a bustling food joint. The loo’s here can easily lay claim to largest, most well maintained and cleanest loo on an Indian highway.
Jodhpur bypass meets up NH-8 at a point south of Jaipur where you mingle with the local traffic for a few kilometers, trudging through overcrowded, under-construction roads thronging with local traffic before getting on to the next expressway (GVK e’way). Now, this GVK is a work of art……what with endless columns of monolithic stones planted on the dividers, signboards reading (and well meaning) ‘Toilet so many meters ahead, first aid facilities available at next toll gate’, etc.
NH-8 now passes through Ajmer, Kishangarh, Beawar and beyond. Kishangarh is famous for marble quarries and if you are keen, make a stopover at roadside outlets here selling marble wares. Kishengarh is close to Makrana, a place whose fame is linked to Taj Mahal (marble for the Taj was sourced from Makrana).
Roads till Beawar are in reasonable condition; wide and smooth. There are two issues here, though. First, there are at least three (if I remember correctly) railway crossings which tend to create bottlenecks and hold up the infinite traffic when the gates are closed (and also when gates are open! thanks to long, narrow passages leading into and away from the railway phatak). Second, this stretch passes through industrialised areas including the marble quarries of Kishangarh. This results in large number of container type lorries plying on the road. Imagine these mountainous vehicles clogging the roads at bottlenecks/ railway crossings – the impact is felt for many kilometers on either side of the crossings.
Ajmer, Kishengarh and Beawar have bypasses thus precluding the need to enter these cities. There has been some discussion about passing across Beawar rather than taking the bypass, since it entails longer drives. We, however, preferred sticking to Beawar bypass rather than entering the place and getting lost finding our way out from the other end.
By the time we took our right turn onto NH 14 after Beawar, it was 6 PM. We had wasted some 2 hours attending to a badly punctured tyre and rest part of the delay is attributable to the bad traffic and jams en-route.
Part II (Beawar – Jodhpur)
Beawar is the point where you leave NH 8 and turn right onto NH 14. Keep a watch for this point which diverts to right from NH 8, since I could not spot any sigh there indicating the diversion. The point is after the bypass road.
Now, one has to drive across the NH 14 till Bar, where a well-marked T-junction indicates the next diversion. From this T junction, turn right on NH 112 to go towards Jodhpur, whereas the left one goes towards Pali. Road conditions are quite good throughout the drive till Jodhpur, though in many portions it turns into undivided, single lane road. In fact, we spent driving almost the entire stretch in darkness but it was pleasant enough. This road also offers glimpses of Rajasthan form closer quarters along with some enticing market places through which one has to drive through. If you have time or inclination, you could explore these thriving markets. This drive would take you (after Beawar) across Var, Nimaj, Bilara to Jodhpur. We took 3 hours to cover this stretch between Beawar to Jodhpur, with small breaks in between.
Other issues
The roads may not be very functional but toll booths/guys are hyper-functional – undaunted and merciless in their collection spree. One way toll charges from Delhi to Jodhpur come to some INR 400/-. Most of the toll booths are situated between Delhi and Beawar (NH 8 stretch).
A recap of the stretch is shown as under –
– Delhi – Jaipur – (270 kms) – NH8 (mixed road condition due to ongoing widening works)
– Before Jaipur, take Jaipur Bypass at Chandwaji (a smooth, 25-30 kms, wide-laned carriageway, fully functional, pleasant drive and not to forget those amazingly clean washrooms I mentioned above)
– Jaipur – Ajmer – Beawar (175 kms) – NH8 – Good roads, traffic interrupted by some 3 railway crossings and massive, slothful trucks usually carrying marble blocks among other things.
– Beawar – Bar (30-40 kms) – NH 14; turn right after Beawar to get onto NH 14, good roads
– Bar – Jodhpur (140 kms) – NH 112; turn right from Bar T-junction towards Jodhpur (NH 112), good roads.
So that’s it. Desert season is already upon us. Go ahead and enjoy your drives to the Blue City Jodhpur (and beyond, perhaps to the Golden City Jaisalmer).
Thanks,
Auro.
hey auro.
nice travel. nice road details. very helpful.
thanx
Hi Praveen,
thanks for nice words.
Auro.
Although this post may be not useful to me now , But one day it may be . Nice written.
Thanks for sharing Auro.
Hi Vishal.
I like that Ghumakkar spirit – any and all roads are of use to Ghumakkars, later if not now :-)
Thanks,
Auro.
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Auro.
Dear Aurojit,
Well written, good photos and informative post. Looks bad when toll is Rs.400 and there should be signage on road. May be authority still thinking professional Truck drivers on road and they know everything.
Thanks a lot for share your journey.
Surinderji,
Thanks for your comments.
Yes, that is the ironical part – they create toll gates well before the repairs are complete, resulting in a situation where you pay toll tax and soon you are driving across roads which are all dug-up, pot holed (signage is small part).
Don’t know whether such tolls are legal at all.
Auro.
Highly informative post, Auro, written in your immensely readable style. The pics are good too and I wish that you had included more of them since Rajasthan is truly rang birangee and I am sure that you must have taken lots of them.
I also wish that you had included a map showing the various highways like NH-8/14/112 so that one could make sense of it while reading it. It would have been highly useful for people like me who are not familiar with that region.
Hi DL,
Thankful really for going through the post and offering comments.
Gratefully accept your comments on lack of a map, which would have offered a better grasp of the road. Would surely keep that in mind next time.
Colours of Rajasthan is really amazing.
Thanks,
Auro.
Hello Auro
After long time i have read your post. From your previous post Harsil and gangotri I planned with my family and visited there. Hats off to the details and pictures you provided for the Harsil.
Your Jodhpur trip does not include any detail about the place or pics related with them although road conditions are perfectly mentioned here for fellow Ghumakkars those want to plan road trip during new year. Waiting for your other posts…..
Hi Kailash,
Thanks a ton and believe me, your statement above is extremely gratifying for any ghumakkar wherein one is told that one’s article here encouraged you to make the trip.
This article was meant to be a road review and blame it on my laziness/ procrastination….there are so many pending places that I need to cover. Hope to take care of them, especially after such encouraging words from you.
Thanks really,
Auro.
Hi Auro !
It looks like Rajasthan season. So many Ghumakkars are heading towards it. But unfortunately I am not getting a chance to visit my home town.
I had never traveled from Delhi to Jaipur but from Jaipur onwards it looks to me that I am also travelling with you. I think that’s the magic of Auro’s writing.
To my surprise you had also mention about Nimaj, Bilada, Bar. I must say you have great sense of observation.
Hi Giridhar,
Thanks for your nice words. Rajasthan season – true; your inability to visit home town – well, season is for the tourists, not locals :-)
Jodhpur was real enjoyable and you are lucky to belong to that place.
Thanks really,
Auro.
Sorry Auro for the delayed showing. I say it because it is a road review and I have been eyeing this for last couple of days. NH8 till Manesar is pain with jams and what not. Now with the 6-laning work, it is gonna to get worse till everything is done. I would have driven on Delhi-Jpr-Dli at least 50 times, if not more and yes there was a time when Nh8 was the cynosure. I am surprised that the bypass signages are not visible, must be time for me to go and drive.
I am headed for Boondi in a couple of days so I would be there on NH8 till Jaipur at least, someone to share the ‘character building’ we all encounter on Indian roads. :-)
Waiting for posts on Jodhpur.
Hi Nandan,
Thanks for your words. As far as NH-8 is concerned, this sign comes to mind – ‘ bear the troubles today, it is for a better tomorrow’ (cliches are indispensable).
Enjoy your trip to Boondi and do tell us about it,
Thankful as ever,
Auro.
Very nice road review and it will definitely help us a lot.
My initial plan was to leave for Jaisalmer tomorrow morning, but now postponed till Jan 1.
I do not know whether I will be able to make it or not this time as things are going on at present.
There are two different route to reach Jaisalmer (Tx to Nandan) and you.
But whenever we go, I will again come back to read this post once again.
Hope you had tasted Mirchi pakora and will be there in your post.
Hi Auro,
Informative post.
Because of the poor NH8 condition, people I know who used to drive or ride Volvo buses have started taking trains. Even I took the train which is far more comfortable.
Seven years ago I had taken the Jaipur Ajmer highway. I thought it was the best highway then in India easily in the same category as American expressways.
Of course now Gujarat highways are the best.
Thanks again!
Drove back yesterday from Jaipur. After a hearty meal at Surya Mahal, MI Road (decent place to eat) we started at 1545 hrs. Till Chandwazi it was a heavenly drive but once the highway merges with the toad coming from Ajmer-n-beyond, it was a different story. We could reach as far as Shahpur (< 50 KMs) by 1730 hrs. A LOT of traffic with road-repair, excavations and NO policing was not a pleasant situation so I exited the highway, knowing well and I am going into an unknown. :-)
We took a right just after Shahpur (towards Alwar) and drove through Viratnagar (Bairaat, old name) and found ourselves driving through the Sariksa Tiger Sanctuary after a while. Except for well designed speed-breakers after every 2 KM or so, the road was brilliant. Sorry if I didn't mention that the cabin atmosphere was more than edgy (anxiety + fear + restrain in night). So we sustained all that and kept driving and finally reached Alwar. By know we have earned enough Karma and we were rewarded with a world-class expressway between Alwar and Bhiwadi. Leaving the anxiety apart, so far it has been a hassle free drive and much better than the NH8 chaos.
After Bhiwadi, we wanted to go East-North and reach GGN via Sohna but there were no signages. GPS showed a route but it was pretty late now so we didn't venture that side and instead drive West to join the madness of NH8 at Dharuhera. From there till home, it was another good bout of character building.
Sometimes I feel my generation would be lost manoeuvring around this in-progress highways :-).
Hello Auro,
We re-published this post only to discover the beautiful Rang-Birnagi shot and that shot is now on our Facebook Page :-)